From campfire to coliseum: motivations for using social networks

Abstract

PurposeThrough a literature review, a gap has been identified regarding the role of competition as a driver of social network (SN) usage. This study aims to design to address this gap, seeking motivators for SN usage based on how SN consumption may be related to users’ experience of competition. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of competition in social media usage.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used an exploratory qualitative approach, conducting a set of focus groups with young social media users. Data was analyzed with software.FindingsTwo new drivers for SN use are proposed, namely, competition and collective narrative.Research limitations/implicationsThis is an exploratory study, and it does not seek to generalize results or quantify causal relationships among variables.Practical implicationsThis paper offers SN managers a deeper understanding of key growth drivers for these media.Social implicationsThis research can help society understand and debate the impacts of SNs on users’ lives, providing insights into drivers of excessive usage.Originality/valueThis paper proposes the following two SN usage drivers yet to be described in the literature: competition and collective narrative.